It’s meant as a stopgap measure to help people with transportation emergencies, and it’s off to a flying start.
“We had over 100 calls in the first week,” said Brittany Burnett, president and CEO of the United Way of the CSRA, which is partnering with Lyft, for the Ride United Transportation Access Program. The program launched Feb. 8.
Burnett said it’s designed for people who might need a ride to a doctor’s appointment, to get the COVID-19 vaccine, to go to school, a food distribution site or even a job interview.
People can call the United Way’s 211 line to schedule a ride on-demand or up to a week in advance through Concierge, Lyft’s online ride dispatch.
Program restrictions do exist. It’s only available in Richmond and Columbia counties to eligible individuals, and only one to three rides can be obtained through the program.
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“This is not a permanent solution” to a lack of transportation, said Burnett. “It’s for short-term transportation needs. It’s a band-aid.”
But she said it does address a need for people who have an emergency transportation issue arise.
People often call the organization’s 211 line needing temporary food or other assistance, but they can’t get to it because of the transportation barrier, either through lack of access to public transportation or because of the financial cost, she said.
Burnett said that the program will also be a good way to gauge where the greatest transportation needs are in the community. She said she’s curious to see if people need rides to places within a few miles from their homes or if they have to travel greater distances to obtain services.
To learn more, call 2-1-1 or (706) 826-1495.
Charmain Z. Brackett is the Features Editor for The Augusta Press. Reach her at charmain@theaugustapress.com
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